Lydia

by Octavio Solis

Drama / 4m, 3f Set in the 1970s on the Texas border separating the United States and Mexico, Lydia is an intense, lyrical, and magical new play. The Flores family welcomes Lydia, an undocumented maid, into their El Paso home to care for their daughter Ceci, who was tragically disabled in a car accident on the eve of her quinceañera, her fifteenth birthday. Lydia's immediate and seemingly miraculous bond with the girl sets the entire family on a mysterious and shocking journey of discovery. Lyd

Genres: Plays, Read For School

84 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 2010

Reviews

[sam lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

whole lotta incest

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mesmerizing and magical look into a shared family trauma - excellently and vividly written. The whole thing feels apocalyptic in emotional scale. An interesting perspective and representation of disability, as well as including bilingualism and the humanity in immigration.

[vincente · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Lydia” is disturbing and enthralling, a read you’ll want to put down but can’t. Lydia questions the trappings of the American Dream and demonstrates what happens when family enmeshment, especially in the hispanic community, is left to run rampant.

[Rini Chavez · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a captivating story with twists and turns and real issues within families as well as true heartbreak. A family trying to keep things together but falling short and having complications. It’s a crazy play to read but I felt there was maybe something missing towards the end.

[Ricki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Weird, weird, weird contemporary dysfunctional immigrant family play.

[Leya Brown · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dysfunctional family with a lot of unnecessary incest

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic. This amazing play is everything an American classic needs to be. Heart-rending, inspiring, lushly human down to the quick of its fingertips. Look Homeward, Angel now has a sibling.

[georgia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked a lot of this, but the incest was weird

[Liz Farrow]

Compelling premise. I dig a dysfunctional family drama, but this one got too uncomfortable for my taste.

[lucian · Rating 1 out of 5]

ah hell nah

[margot · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️
For THE 141. Harrowing, immersive, and grounded. I’d love to see a production of this.

[Jordyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Where's the 2.5 star button? After I read this play the first time I was so shocked and disturbed that I couldn't really appreciate anything in it. I put the play down and said "Did that really just happen?" However, after reading it a few more times, I began to really notice the beautiful poetry and metaphors used by the characters to describe the world around them and the shock began to wear off as I saw some motivation for their perverse actions. That being said, I don't think this play deserves a full three stars, but don't think it's completely deserving of only 2 stars either, as the language and imagery is unlike any play I've read.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for a course I'm taking. I like that the play is set in El Paso and that it is written by a local author. I'm not a big fan of the sexual themes, but I think that the play in of itself is constructed pretty well overall. It develops and the characters do too, there are many obstacles they all face and they are all interconnected with one another. I like some of the ideas, but I can't say this is my favorite play and I'm not sure I'll ever read it again, but it was interesting.

[Abigail Espinal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard-hitting and sensationally paced, Octavio Solis has crafted a drama so intense and gratifying, I simply for the life of me could not put it down if I tried. With a touch of magical-realism and woefully realistic commentary, "Lydia" is a tender, sensitive, and beautifully Latin account of immigration, guilt, sex, and admiration. Beautiful in every way.